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Monday, April 23, 2012

5 Best Family Attractions in Paris

There’s so much to see in Paris and so many sights to enjoy. If you are in Paris with your family, make sure to take them to see the stunning scenes in these highly recommended family attractions.

Ride a Pony at Jardin des Tuileries

If you’re looking for an outdoor activity which your children are rarely taking part in, try letting them ride a horse through Paris’ beautiful Jardin des Tuileries. It would be unusual to see ponies and children march through the park in the middle of Paris, but this pony-riding activity spearheaded by Monsieur et Madame Gascard is very well-known in Paris and children of tourists are often seen here playing with the cute ponies.


Watch a theatre presentation in Le Lucernaire

If you want to learn more about the culture of Paris, the history of France, and the lives of so many prominent European, the best way to see history re-enact itself would be at Le Lucernaire. Le Lucernaire is an educational theatre that presents only interesting and entertaining plays. You can find Le Lucernaire in 3 rue Notre-Dame des champs, 6th Arrondissement.


Watch a puppet play

Children like toys, playing, and watching entertaining presentation. After watching a play at Le Lucernaire, you may also want to head down to Jardin du Luxembourg and find Guignol, a popular puppet show held in the heart of Paris. Guignol’s puppet show is very interesting and children, most of all, will love it.


Shop for old- or vintage toys in La Tortue Electrique

Forget Marche aux Puces and Puces de Saint Ouen and head down to La Tortue Electrique, instead. This is just one of the many shops in Paris where you can find old toys, trinkets, and accessories for yourself or for your home.

La Tortue Electrique is located at 5 rue Frédéric Sauton 75005, Paris.


Eat delicious pastries at La Pâtisserie des Rêves

La Pâtisserie des Rêves is different from all the other patisseries in Paris because its interior will remind you of a giant gingerbread house where everything is edible. In reality, the La Pâtisserie des Rêves is not edible but it surely makes you think that the entire place is made of sugar and candy. Treat your kids to a delicious cupcake; you might also want to have some for yourself. La Patisserie des Reves is located in 93 rue du Bac, 7th Arrondissement.

Friday, April 20, 2012

5 Must-Visit Restaurants that Serve Exotic Dishes

The heart of Paris may be considered a bit crowded; after all, it is home to 12 million people, but don't let the population count scare you. There are simply so many things to do in Paris, you will hardly notice that the city is in fact, crowded.

You will meet several kinds of people in Paris: some of them are blue-blooded Parisians who have been in Paris all there lives, and you might also meet immigrants from other countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. Due to the diverse cultures that flock Paris, there has been a healthy amount of influential and cultural sharing in Paris, as you can see from the restaurants in the city.

While French restaurants do flood the city, there are several other restaurants in Paris that serve exotic food. If you're feeling adventurous, head down to these unique restaurants located in different districts across the city:

For Greek cuisine, go to the 5th arrondissement. In this area, you will find Mythos, a Greek cafe that serves delicious Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Their specialty includes the Moussaka which is made of eggplant and tomato. You might also want to check out La Taverne Grecque in 8 Rue de la Huchette. They serve both French and Greek cuisine.

For Asian cuisine, the best place to go to is at the 13th Arrondissement, specifically in rue de Tolbiac, Avenue de Choisy, rue Beaudricourt, and Avenue d'Ivry. You can find the following Asian restaurants in this area:

Restaurant Chine Massena
13, place de Venetie

Their specialty includes dimsum, noodle soup, and some seafood recipes.

Rouammit & Huong Lan
103 Avenue d'Ivry

They serve Thai cuisine and their specialty includes the Thai Sticky Rice.

For Jewish or Kosher meals, the best neighborhood to go to would be at the Marais in the 4th Arrondissement. For starters, visit L'As du Falafel in 34 Rue des Rosiers. They serve delicious falafel as well as other delicious Jewish meals. If you plan to go informal, order Kosher burgers from Micky's Deli in 23 Rue Des Rosiers.

There are still so many exotic restaurants in Paris and the best way to find them would be to spend your time walking around, seeing as many sights as you can and interacting with the locals, expatriates, and immigrants.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

More Food Destinations in Paris


As they say, Paris is a foodie’s paradise and every restaurant, cafe, and diner here don’t just offer food, they also offer delicious cuisines and healthy meals. Parisian chefs are truly concerned over the health and welfare of their patrons that is why, every thing you eat in Paris is well thought out and of course, flavorful.

Now, if you plan to go on a little excursion around Paris to search for the best restaurants, cafes, and diners, why don’t you start your search with these highly recommended food destinations.

Bofinger Brasserie
5–7 rue de la Bastille

Located near the Marais district, Bofinger Brasserie is a historical location in Paris which was first opened in 1860. Since then, it has served millions of local Parisians and tourists with delicious meals, courses, and wine. Bofinger Brasserie's specialty includes an very varied Alsatian menu of seafood and pork. This restaurant is where you can find luxury and culture under one roof. Dince underneath brass chandeliers and enjoy the Art Nouveau stained-glass ceiling that adorns the building.

Au Limonaire
18 Cité Bergère

There's never a dull moment when you dine at Au Limonaire. This restaurant is where you can find French cuisine, amazing wine and stunning interior. The restaurant itself is known throughout Paris as a high-class rendezvous that offers high-class services and delicious meals.

Café Marly
93 rue de Rivoli 

If you love the Louvre and want to enjoy your meals in a restaurant located near it, you might want to check into Cafe Marly, an elegant restaurant located in Rue de Rivoli. This is one of the most amazing restaurants in Paris: they serve a variety of cuisines; of course, their specialty is French, and they are also known throughout the city for their high-quality services. Enjoy seafood meals, traditional French cuisine, or eat the usual American recipes here, in Cafe Marly.

Café at the Orsay Museum
1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur

Even the Orsay Museum boasts its own elegant restaurant. Housed within the Orsay Museum,  Café at the Orsay Museum is a restaurant that serves delicious meals. If you love art and good food, get the best of both worlds right here.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Renting a Luxury Sports Car in Paris

Believe it or not, you can actually drive a Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati and any car of your choice along the streets of Paris when you rent a luxury sports car.

It may be considered a dream come true for many people who want to drive through the streets of Paris in style. Instead of renting those old, buggy cars from car rental companies, you could rent luxury cars instead. Renting a luxury car does not come cheap though; however, if you have a few hundred dollars to spare for this experience, you should definitely give it a shot.

Cars you can choose from

If you want to rent a luxury car, you can choose from any of the following exclusive brands: Mercedes, Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. If you’re not fond of driving or if you are unsure of the directions to take while in Paris, you could hire a chauffeur to take you around. Hiring a chauffeur means you’ll have to pay extra, as well.

How to Rent a Luxury Car

The process is pretty much the same as renting any other rental car; however, the qualifications before you can rent a luxury car and the rental rates to pay are much higher and stricter. You have to provide the right requirements as requested by the rental company before they will allow you to rent their cars.

The most common requirements will include a proof of your residence in Paris, credit card or cash security deposit, an international driver’s license, a few IDs, and perhaps a birth certificate or any similar document that will prove you are at least 21 years old.

It is highly recommended to make reservations before you even arrive in Paris. You need not visit the luxury car rental company in person; you can even make reservations over the phone or online and handle the rest of the rental process when you get to Paris.

Some of Paris’ most popular car rental companies include AutoEurope, which lists down car rental companies in Paris, France and all across the continent. If you’re already in Paris, you could head down to Karscom in 76 avenue Champs Elysees 75008 or Gentleman Luxury Car in 22 rue Louis Armand, Paris.

Aside from a luxury car, you might want to look into luxury apartments in Brussels, as well. Choose the perfect accommodation at http://www.Welcome2Belgium.com.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

How to Give Your Home a Parisian Makeover

Parisian homes are very elegant and are comfortable from the first look and to recreate the same appeal, you will have to think like a Parisian. You will have to learn how to match colors and most importantly, learn how to experiment with different textures.

Use warm colors on your walls and curtains.

Parisian homes tend to use warm colors such as red, orange and yellow on walls and curtains. but you may also experiment with adding cool colors into the mix to create a bit of an accent. Red and orange are both the colors of choice for most homes because they tend to make rooms feel more comfortable. If you want to experiment with different hues of red, orange, and yellow, play with colors like rose, light yellow, or red-orange. You may also use dark blue, black, beige, and white on your walls but these colors can seem a bit industrial and do not exude that old Parisian charm. If you do use any of these colors, make sure to compensate for the lack of warm colors on the walls by using wall decals and decorations that look old and elegant.

As seen here, the Louvre - Palais Royal apartment has white clean walls but makes use of red sofas and chairs to compensate for the lack of warm colors. The curtains are also yellow, a warm color.

Use wooden furniture.

If possible, use a lot of wooden furniture and if even more possible, use your old grandmother’s hand-me-down furniture and fixtures. Wooden furniture made pre-1950‘s are very elegant and although they do not capture the kind of elegance that authentic old-French furniture tend to bring, vintage furniture do stand out in a room. Wooden furniture also looks better and more-French than furniture made of steel, which look very modern and industrial.

If you are fond of playing with different designs, you could use modern-looking furniture but use old-style decor on your walls like black and white framed posters of Audrey Hepburn or Edith Piaf.

Use elegant decor.

Use porcelain statuettes, bronze vases, black and white photos and perhaps, landscape paintings on your walls to give off that elegant charm. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you could install a non-working well-designed fireplace in the middle of your living room or redesign your old fireplace and add an intricate golden frame like the ones you see in old homes.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different furniture, colors, and themes. If you’re lost in the middle of your project, browse through stunning Paris apartments and get inspired.